Concentrating on what you can control regarding the coronavirus

How does one bring one's wisest self to a global pandemic?

Posted 1:22 p.m. Mar 14, 2020 — Updated 1:22 p.m. Mar 14, 2020

Liisa Ogburn

Like most people around me, I have found it hard not to get swept up in the latest news on the Coronavirus. After all, it was only 21 days between when China first reported dozens of cases of pneumonia from an unknown cause (December 31, 2019) to when the US announced its first case (January 21, 2020). The official count in North Carolina, as of this morning (March 14) is 19, but given the severe shortage of tests, many experts feel that number is a gross underestimate.

That all said, in a situation like this that is uncharted territory and changing daily, what are ways you can exercise wisdom—especially if you are older and in the more vulnerable population? What are ways that give you some control in a situation that is in many ways uncontrollable?

Maintain a healthy media diet. Don’t spend every waking moment reading the latest news and when you do look to the news, go to the most informed and credible sources (such as the Centers for Disease Control, the World Health Organization, and media sources with deep expertise in health issues, such as the New York Times and Boston Globe's Stat News).
Employ smart prevention strategies. Geriatrician Nancy Kernisan recommends:
- washing hands vigorously with soap for at least 30 seconds,
- not touching your face,
- being mindful that early studies report that the virus can live on hard plastic and metal surfaces for up to three days,
- abiding by new “social distancing” recommendations. Early findings suggest that being within six feet of someone with Coronavirus for 10 minutes is sufficient for transmission; transmission can happen not only through coughing, but also talking.

Accept inconvenient restrictions. While it is terribly inconvenient (and stressful) to not be able to visit a loved one inside the many retirement communities that have closed their doors, decisions like these have not been made lightly. At the end of the day, the health and safety, especially of the most vulnerable, is what is driving these decisions.

Tap into those internal tools you have undoubtedly had to develop during the challenging times that happen in any life. Our human brains are so wired to get stuck in a perpetual loop of worry, which then has effects on our physical health. Look for and employ those activities that help you step out of that loop while also staying safe—such as gardening, reading, talking on the phone, walking around the block, getting things done around the house, writing some letters…

Remember: One blessing of growing older is perspective. There have likely been a handful of moments you have lived through seemingly similarly challenging historic events. How do you bring your wisest self to this one?

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